Apparatus for closing containers



E. J. STANEK ET AL APPARATUS FOR CLOSING CONTAINERS Filed April 2 Sheets-Sheet l WW Wm/W mw BY QW ATTORNEY E. J. STANEK ET AL APPARATUS FOR CLOSING CONTAINERS Filed April 24, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVE NT R I Fain. C

ATTORNEY Patented July 23, 1935 I 6 1 UNITED STATES PATENT" 'fQFF APPARATUS FOR cmjsm eeosijm s; 7 .Edward JQStaliek and lfialo, Milwaukee, Wis., 'assignors to"Stanek- Tool *8; "Mtg. 00., Milwaukeej wis a corporation ofwisconsin Application ril 24, 1933fseriai preseason 10 m. (01. -226-85) I This invention relates to a method of closing a container by directly or, indirectly supplying cement to the walls of the container adjacent the periphery of its opening and placing thereover a flat blank of sheet material, such as transparent cellulosic sheet materiaLinshape similar to the. shape of the opening, but of greater extent so that the, margin of the blank extends beyond the opening, and by then applying combined downwardlyaxial and inwardly-directed-radial pressure to the, margin of the blank to draw the same downward-: 1y into contact with the cement about the opening and at the same time stretching the blank to, smoothness over the opening and finally by. applying simple inwar'dly-directed-radial pressure 50D. the-margins of the blank for a suflicienttime to permit the cement to establish an effective bond and seal while the stretched condition of the blankis maintained.

The invention further relates to a form of apparatus for the accomplishment of the above steps, in which apparatus a carrier clasps the exterior of a resilient ring and forms therewith a.

unitary, resilient, lined ring. The internal dimensions'of the lined ring are arranged to be slightly smaller'than the external dimensions of the container opening which is to be closed; The re'-. siliency of the lining is such that the lined ring may be forced over the contairier'opening while imposing thereon a moderate axial and radial pressure. The unitary-lined ring is associated withpropelling means adapted to move the ring perpendicularly to the axis of the container into a position. embracing the opening thereof "and, as is sometimes necessary,to permit the'lined ring to 'so dwell during a normal "cement-setting interval before removal thereof iseffected.

The closing of containers of the class here involved-has heretofore been accomplished with preformed orpartially-preformed caps or capsules. A common example of this is the crown seal or ordinary bottle cap wherein a preformed cap is placed upon the bottle and clamped into engagement with a retaining bead by the application of radial pressure. Soft metal and gelatine caps have been squeezed in similar fashion into conformity with the configuration of the container mouth by various means designated to exert simple, radial pressure thereon. In all of these closures a preformed or partially preformed cap or capsule having cylindrical or conical side walls is employed. g

In this invention, however, a flat blank of sheet material is formed into a cap and afilxed to the container in a single operation and at the same time ahighly, flexible-blank may be employed, because provision for stretching the same to acceptable smoothness is included.

' The method and apparatus of this invention is best describedby referring to theaccompany- 5 ing drawings, :wherein 7 r Fig.1 is a side view of an apparatus for carryingon the'method of this invention;

' Fig.2 is'a perspectiveview of a container closed according to thisinvention; V 1

Fig.3 is .a cross-section of a lined ring;

. Fig.4 is a cross-section of a. lined ring showing theaction in simultaneously drawing, stretching and sealingthe blank; and, Fig. 5 is a partialcross-section of the lined ring during acement-setting interval;

In Fig. 1' a simple form of machine embodying this invention and adapted to carry on the method thereof is illustrated. The machine is. provided with a conveyor l-upon which containers 2 may be placed at intervals, either by hand or automatically. The containers are conveniently provided with cement adjacent the openings, prior, to'beingplaced on the conveyor. The conveyor I is capable of an intermittent lateral movement in the-direction of the arrow. Appropriately stationed. at the side of and above the'conveyor I is the sealing mechanism 4, which is provided with a reciprocating. rod 5 mounted to move in guides 6 and bearing on its lower end press foot 1. The rod 5 is urged to a raised position by spring lflacting upon'a boss H which is rigidly secured to-rod 5. One end of a rockerarm 8 bears .upon the upper 'side of boss I I and the other end of. rocker arm 8 isoperatively joined by means of. anelongated'opening with connecting rod 9, which. in'turn drops -toan operable connection with a; pivoted t'readle-IG; Beneath the press footgliare pivotallysmounted ihold-up' clips [2 whichrar'e held normallyagainst the stops' I4 by springs l3 in the position shown in the drawings. The tips of the hold-up clips l2 engage the lined ring 3 and hold the same in the position shown in the drawings until press foot 1 forces the same downwardly into engagement with the top of the container 2.

Also stationed at the side of and above the conveyor l is the stripping mechanism H, the same being spaced from the sealing mechanism an appropriate interval in the direction of travel of the conveyor. The stripping mechanism is provided with a stripper ring l8, which is joined by tached to the rod 9. The bell crank 21 is con-g nected to a link 28 which in turn is connectedto a lever 23 which bears a spring' prssed pawl'a. The pawl 33 is arranged toengagea ratchet 31 and move the conveyor each'time thetreadle;l6 is released.

The lined ring 3 is shown in detailin Figs. 3, 4, and 5. By referring to these' flgur'esit will be noted that the lined ring is composedoi va carrier 3! which is conveniently formed of metal or other suitable, rigid r'n'ateriall The carrier 3lis provided with aflared ring 32 for I engagement with clips I2, above reier'red-to.

The upper internal diameter of the carrier 3| is conveniently made'larger than the external diameter of the container to beblosed and the lower internal diameter of the carrier 3| conveniently made tocorrespo'iid witli the diameter of the flat blank-"33. 'The'lower. margins oithe carrier 3! may be provided with retainingprojections .34 for holding the blank 33 in position. The interior of the carrier 3i is shaped to accommodate and clasp the resilient lining '35 which may conveniently be a tubulartorus of rubber.

' The internal diameter of the lining 35 is slightly smaller than the external diameter of the con-- tainer opening to be closed. l I

In forming a closure according to this invention cement 35 is applied tothe rim of the container 2, as indicated in Fig. 3', or, alternately, the

cement may be applied to the correspondingmargin of the blank 33. A linedv ring 3 is then placed in position above the container 2, as shown in Fig. 3, with the blank 33 retained in position by the projections 34. The press foot! is then operated by the treadleilirto. causethe. lined ring 3 to descend to the'position shown in:Fig. 4. While this step of the movement is taking place the lining 35 becomes deflected inwardly, at the same time exerting upon them'argin fot the blank 33 a radial as well as axial pressure, as indicated by the component arrows in Fig.- 4. This action extends the blank 33 to almost .perfect.smoothness and draws the margin of; the blank' into sealed contact. with the side walls or. the con-1 tainer. Upon the completion of thismovement the ring assumes. the position shown. in Fig. 5. When this position is reached. movement may cease and the lining 35. exerts simpleradial pressure upon the margin of the blank, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5. This pressure may be exerted for any time interval desired, as provided in the travel of conveyor I, or may be only momentary in the case of an extremely rapidly setting cement. After the cement 36 has formed a satisfactory bond, the lined ring 3 may be removed irom the container either by stripping the samedownwardly, as provided by stripper ring I 8, or-by removing the same upwardly. If desired, the removal may be effected by further moveqment of the sealing mechanism 4, particularly in the case of a fast setting cement.

The manner in which the lining 35 is clasped by the support 3| prevents the lining from exefQ-cuting a rolling or vortex ring movement and .f,or thi s reason the necessary combined radialglass. tumblers, as shown in Fig. 2. In such containers moderate variations in dimension and form occur and the deflection of member 35 sat-' isfactorily accommodated the same without destruction to the tumblers, such as would occur in a case where. rigid closing means are employed. In cases where the lining 35 isa ring of some other form than a hollow torus the carrier 3|. need not.

fit so closely in order to prevent vortex ring movement and other methods of carrying the ring may easily be devised which, nevertheless, will still be within the scope of this invention.

We desire it to'be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any specific form or arrangement of parts except insofar as such limitations are specified in the claim.

What we claim as our invention is: V

A machine for forming a closure for a container having an opening and side walls, which comprises a reciprocable member capable of forward. and return movement, a carrier adapted to be moved by said reciprocable member during the forward movement thereof, a yieldable ring member having internal dimensions smaller than the external dimensions of the container mouth, said. yieldable ring being clasped by said carrier to movetherewith and yield therein without appreciable vortex ring movement, means to support a container in position to penetrate said yieldable ring when said reciprocable member, carrier and yieldable ring are carried through the forward movement of said reciprocable member and to re.- tain said yieldable 7 ring and carrier uponv the return movement of the reciprocable member, and means for removing the carrier. and yieldable ring from, the container.

EDWARD J. STANEK; ERICH MALOF 

